Don't Provoke the Black Lotus O [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 70

70: Lost

For a moment, the people by the shore stood frozen in shock. Then, screams erupted as they scattered in panic.

Jiang Ci landed safely with Xi Lingxue in her arms, and the next second, four figures appeared in front of them, forming a solid barrier between the two women and the threat.

Lou Jingou was disguised as a street vendor, and at the sight of him, Jiang Ci suddenly remembered something, her lips parting as if to speak but hesitating.

None of the other members of the Dark hall were present. After leaving Sai Na’s stronghold, Jiang Ci had given them free rein. She hadn’t expected to encounter such a formidable enemy so soon after disbanding them.

This man’s speed and strength surpassed even A Ta and Qi Zhan—he had to rank within the top eight of the martial arts hierarchy. Among those still alive in that tier, there were only a handful, and given that he was male and currently in Shangjing, the answer was obvious.

“Hong San…”

The eunuch serving the Empress Dowager!

Xi Lingxue broke free from Jiang Ci’s embrace and immediately drew a dagger, pulling Jiang Ci behind her.

The instinctive gesture left Jiang Ci momentarily stunned.

It was as if Xi Lingxue had completely forgotten that Jiang Ci lacked martial prowess—a delicate Kunjun insisting on shielding a Qianjun.

Jiang Ci couldn’t see Xi Lingxue’s face, but she could feel the icy aura radiating from the woman—resolute, unyielding, and utterly fearless, even in the face of death.

Hong San narrowed his eyes. Taking in the scene, everything suddenly fell into place.

First, Liao Yi had been assassinated. Then, the Xiaoyao Sect emerged out of nowhere to rescue a condemned prisoner. Next, explosives went missing, and A Ta never returned to report…

All of these events had occurred after Jiang Ci arrived in Liang Kingdom!

The Empress Dowager had eliminated numerous suspects, even executing several by mistake, before finally turning her gaze toward Jiang Ci.

Could this “crippled weakling” really be the mastermind? She didn’t seem capable of such feats.

But the Empress Dowager could no longer afford to wait. She decided to send Hong San to test Jiang Ci. If Jiang Ci truly was the problem, she would be dealt with immediately.

“So it really is you…” Hong San glanced at the envoy, “Qin Shuang” and sneered. “Your Yu Kingdom’s reach extends far too boldly.”

This so-called “consort” was nothing but a pretext! From the very beginning, the Yu Kingdom had intended to meddle in Liang’s internal affairs!

Jiang Ci’s eyes darkened. Her identity as the sect leader had been exposed. Since the facade was shattered, there was no need to pretend any longer.

Since he was here, he wouldn’t be leaving alive!

“Xiaoxue” Jiang Ci gently patted Xi Lingxue’s shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Find a place to hide first.”

Hong San was extremely dangerous. Even if all of them—the Qianjun—joined forces, they might not be a match for him.

Jiang Ci didn’t know if Xi Lingxue would listen. If not, then… she’d have to knock her out and carry her away.

To her surprise, Xi Lingxue only stiffened slightly but didn’t insist on staying.

The woman turned her head and fixed Jiang Ci with a steady gaze, her eyes burning with intensity. “Alright. I’ll leave. Be careful.”

Jiang Ci was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Xi Lingxue to be so compliant, but there was no time to dwell on it. It was for the best—with Xi Lingxue gone, she could focus on the fight.

Once Xi Lingxue was out of sight, Jiang Ci launched the first strike. The four Dark hall members followed closely, engaging Hong San in a fierce battle.

If Jin Yu had been here, she could have contributed, but this time, Xi Lingxue hadn’t brought her along.

Against Hong San, Jiang Ci fought with lethal intent. He knew too much—how could she let him return alive?

Hong San hadn’t anticipated Jiang Ci’s martial prowess to be so refined. She had improved significantly since arriving in Shangjing, and with four allies supporting her, he found himself unable to gain the upper hand. He couldn’t win, nor could he escape.

Ji Shuibao: “Dare to ambush our sect leader?”

Wei Yueyan: “Trying to out-assassinate us?”

Yi Huoshe: “You’re dead, you bastard!”

Lou Jingou: “Everyone, keep at it! He’s old, after all!”

Jiang Ci: “…”

This was the first time she’d seen them so united.

Hong San couldn’t take it anymore, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared, “…You think you can defeat me?!”

Words were one thing, but the reality of the fight was far more taxing.

Last time, when Gui Jinyang led the assassination attempt on the Empress Dowager, he was the only true master among them, and Hong San had handled him with ease. This time was different—four of the Twenty-Eight Constellations were present, along with the sect leader herself. Every one of them was a top-tier fighter.

The battle raged on, with neither side able to exploit the other’s weaknesses. It was the Lantern Festival, and the streets were more crowded than usual. The commotion they caused quickly drew the attention of the capital guard, who arrived with a squad of soldiers.

The guard captain was stunned. The instigator of the brawl was none other than the “prospective consort”?

Not only was she no longer crippled, but she was also teaming up with four others to beat up a masked man in black? And the fight was brutal!

A subordinate asked, “Sir, what… what do we do?”

The captain: “What else can we do? Arrest them all!”

Jiang Ci immediately shouted, “Sir, help us! He’s the assassin who tried to kill the Empress Dowager the other day!”

Hong San: “!!!”

The audacity of this brat! The thief crying “stop thief”!

The captain’s expression hardened, and he immediately shifted his focus to Hong San. “Seize him!”

Capturing him would surely earn the Empress Dowager’s favor!

Hong San was already struggling against five opponents, and now this wave of meddlers made it worse. He ripped off his mask and bellowed, “Fools! You don’t even recognize me?!”

The soldiers froze.

The captain recognized him as the Empress Dowager’s right-hand man and paled, stammering, “Chief Steward Hong…”

How were we supposed to recognize you dressed like that?!

“They’re the assassins!” Hong San spat. “They’re from the Xiaoyao Sect!”

“Bullshit!” Ji Shuibao mimicked Jiang Ci’s tactic, shamelessly shifting blame. “Look at you, dressed like a criminal, and you’re calling us assassins?”

The captain couldn’t afford to hesitate. He couldn’t afford to offend Hong San, so his only option was to arrest Jiang Ci.

Regardless of the circumstances, he’d take her to the Empress Dowager first!

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers advanced toward Jiang Ci and her group.

Jiang Ci grew anxious. They were barely holding their own against Hong San and had no energy to spare for the others. If they were captured by the Empress Dowager, it would be disastrous. Now that her identity as the sect leader was exposed, the Empress Dowager would never let her live!

As the captain closed in, a group of cavalry suddenly charged onto the scene. They outnumbered the guards and moved with overwhelming force, swiftly encircling the area.

The captain recognized them at once—they were the Empress’s personal guard, rarely deployed.

The cavalry were fully armed, each holding a bow with arrows nocked and aimed at the figures in the center, ready to fire.

No one dared move now.

Hong San also ceased fighting, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn’t understand why the Empress would act so boldly today. Targeting him was tantamount to openly defying the Empress Dowager!

Hong San couldn’t make sense of it, but Jiang Ci knew the truth.

General Wu Yi had already pledged allegiance to the Empress! He was on his way back to the capital, and the Empress Dowager’s faction hadn’t yet learned of it!

With military power in her hands, the Empress could finally stand tall.

Soon, several cavalrymen parted, making way for a tall woman in black robes.

Long Yin, wearing a mask and astride a black steed, exuded an imposing aura. “By the Empress’s decree, we arrest the traitor Hong San.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Hong San’s face twisted in shock.

He hadn’t expected the Grand Priestess, who had always remained neutral, to side with the Empress!

Seeing Long Yin, Jiang Ci finally relaxed.

This was her martial aunt!

Thankfully, Long Yin had arrived in time, or the situation would have spiraled out of control.

Just as Jiang Ci was thinking this, a white-robed figure dismounted from a horse and rushed toward her.

Hong San was still arguing, but Jiang Ci could no longer hear him. She stared blankly at the approaching figure, her mind slow to react, but her body moved first.

Jiang Ci opened her arms, and the next second, a warm, fragrant body crashed into her embrace, filling her senses with a familiar scent.

Xi Lingxue clung to her tightly, looking up with urgent eyes. “A Ci, are you hurt?”

The woman’s long lashes trembled, her hair slightly disheveled from the rush. Yet, her eyes remained bright and clear, filled with nothing but Jiang Ci’s reflection.

Thump, thump—

Her heartbeat roared in her ears, and Jiang Ci couldn’t tell if it was from the earlier fight or something else entirely.

She suddenly understood why Xi Lingxue had left so readily.

Long Yin’s timely arrival wasn’t a coincidence—someone had anticipated the danger before she did…

Xi Lingxue had saved her.

Jiang Ci’s hands rested on the woman’s slender waist. After a pause, she tightened her grip. “…No.”

As if the embrace wasn’t enough, she buried her face in Xi Lingxue’s shoulder, inhaling deeply, craving more of her scent.

Jiang Ci tilted her head slightly, her nose brushing against the delicate skin of Xi Lingxue’s neck, eliciting a faint shiver.

“Ahem…”

The deliberate cough made Jiang Ci look up to see Helian Ping standing behind Long Yin.

She froze.

Right. She was still the “prospective consort.” How could she be so intimate with an envoy in public?

Xi Lingxue also came to her senses, though her expression remained calm as she withdrew her hands, her face composed.

The captain averted his gaze, his expression complicated as he bowed to Helian Ping, his eyes faintly tinged with envy.

This “prospective consort” had too many scandals!

Under the overwhelming display of force, Hong San was powerless. No matter how he protested, Long Yin had only one response: “We are merely following orders.”

Jiang Ci glanced at Hong San. It was a pity she couldn’t kill him on the spot to silence him. But in the Empress’s hands, he was just as doomed.

The Empress now held all the advantages.

Two cavalrymen stepped forward to restrain Hong San. Long Yin glanced at Jiang Ci but didn’t say a word, as if they were strangers, before turning her horse and heading back to the palace.

With Hong San captured, the night’s chaos finally came to an end.

The Empress Dowager had lost her trump card, and the Empress would emerge victorious.

As for Jiang Ci, she had already “stood up.” Too many witnesses had seen it—there was no hiding it now.

Back when she’d stood before the Empress and the Empress Dowager, she’d promised that once her legs were healed, she would marry Helian Ping.

But that had only been a temporary measure. Now, all she wanted was to take Xi Lingxue’s hand.

“Let’s return to Yu Kingdom in a few days.”

The girl turned her head, her eyes reflecting the starlight and the woman beside her, as if the entire galaxy had fallen into her gaze.

…Alright.

Just as Xi Lingxue was about to respond, a glint of cold light flashed in her vision.

The woman’s instincts flared, and she looked up to see Hong San stealthily draw a throwing knife.

This was the moment when everyone had let their guard down. No one noticed as the captive suddenly turned back.

The blade shot forth.

Xi Lingxue’s heart lurched, and she instinctively shielded Jiang Ci.

The next second, a soft “thud” echoed as the knife buried itself in her chest, bl00d instantly staining her white robes.

Jiang Ci’s gaze went blank for a moment. Only when the woman swayed did she catch her.

In an instant, the world seemed to fall silent. Helian Ping’s scream, Long Yin’s furious rebuke, the Dark hall members’ enraged shouts, Hong San’s agonized wails—Jiang Ci heard none of it. She couldn’t even speak, her vision blurring.

Then, her mind exploded, her heart consumed by flames.

The woman curled her lips, as if she could still smile, though her voice was barely audible. “Don’t cry… I’m fine…”

Jiang Ci bit her lip hard, one arm cradling Xi Lingxue while the other fumbled for a life-saving pill.

Amid the chaos, Helian Ping rushed over, frantic. “Why are you just standing there?! Get her to a clinic!”

…

There were many clinics in Shangjing, but given the urgency, Jiang Ci could only carry Xi Lingxue to the nearest one.

The physician at this clinic was out on a house call, so the Dark hall members had to “invite” others to come.

Jiang Ci laid Xi Lingxue on the bed. Though she knew some medicine herself, this was the first time she’d faced such a critical situation. The knife was lodged near the heart, and she wasn’t confident she could handle it. Worse, the blade was coated with an unknown poison. One misstep could kill Xi Lingxue.

By now, Xi Lingxue had fallen unconscious, her veil removed to reveal a face so pale it was almost translucent.

Her lips darkened to a purplish hue, and her body temperature plummeted.

The Dark hall members “invited” several physicians in a row, even kidnapping the imperial physician from the palace.

One look at Xi Lingxue’s condition, and they all shook their heads without further examination.

Beyond saving! Find someone else!

“…If only Master were here.”

Long Yin, unable to rest easy, had followed them. After all, Hong San was already dead… As for the Empress, the captain of the guard could deliver the message.

“Mo Sanqi?” Helian Ping also thought of Jiang Ci’s master. “She’s still in Yu Kingdom. There’s no time!”

Xi Lingxue’s injuries were severe, and the poison was unknown. No antidote was found on Hong San’s body. The only reason she was still alive was the life-saving pill sustaining her.

“Find more physicians…” Jiang Ci’s face was ashen, her panic so overwhelming she could barely think. All that remained was a desperate, furious roar. “Search the entire Shangjing, the entire Liang Kingdom! I refuse to believe no one can save Xiaoxue!”

Helian Ping had never seen Jiang Ci so enraged.

The girl’s eyes were bloodshot, tears streaming down her face. Consumed by terror, she was falling apart.

Jiang Ci had always moved forward, building her power, eliminating one enemy after another.

But now, the once-invincible leader of the Xiaoyao Sect could only kneel by her lover’s bedside, calling her name over and over.

“Xiaoxue… open your eyes and look at me.”

“Didn’t you promise to stay by my side forever?”

Helian Ping bit her lip, her eyes also reddening.

The two had been entangled from Yu Kingdom to Liang Kingdom, and she had witnessed it all. They loved each other but had been kept apart by circumstance. After enduring so much hardship, surviving countless storms, how could this happen on the eve of their triumph?

“Xiaoxue, didn’t you say you’d punish me?”

“Do whatever you want… Lock me in the estate for the rest of my life, and I won’t run away. Okay?”

The woman on the bed remained still, her breathing faint, as if merely asleep. But her face was too pale, her lips now blackish-purple. The bl00d at her chest bloomed like a sinister manjushaka flower, eerie and enchanting.

“Open your eyes and look at me…”

Jiang Ci sobbed uncontrollably.

She hated this…

Hated Hong San? Hated the heavens? Hated the injustice of the world?

No. She hated herself.

If only she hadn’t…

She never should have come to Liang Kingdom, never should have fled the Princess’s estate, never should have avoided Xi Lingxue after her rebirth!

…No, even earlier—should she never have been reborn at all?

Jiang Ci was a mess. She wondered what all her struggles had been for.

Gain, lose, gain, lose…

Round and round, making choices, only to realize that all she’d ever wanted was to be with one person.

Xi Lingxue had always been there. Countless times, she could have held onto her.

Yet, here they were.

Jiang Ci was like a lost traveler, standing at a crossroads, unable to discern the right path.

Without taking that step, no one could know what lay ahead.

But once the choice was made, there was no turning back.

“Jiang Ci,” Long Yin said after a long silence, “there may still be one way.”

“…What?”

“You are the one chosen by the Mountain God.” The woman’s voice was solemn. “Go to the altar. The Mountain God will guide you.”

…

The Mountain God seemed too abstract, and Jiang Ci had no faith in it.

But at this point, she was willing to believe in anything—anything to save Xiaoxue. She would give everything!

Her arrival in this world was already a miracle. Perhaps Xi Lingxue could experience one too?

The night was deep, the stars and moon shining brightly. The Mountain God Temple was empty, with Jiang Ci as its only visitor.

She didn’t remember triggering any mechanism, but when the entrance on the altar opened, she descended step by step, gradually swallowed by the darkness.

There were exactly 108 steps. Once again, she saw the massive stone door.

But this time, a string of numbers appeared in her vision.

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